Fri.’s Devo - Paul’s Deliverance -

Read: 1 Chronicles 9:1-10:14; Acts 27:21-44; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 18:23-24 The nation of Israel kept records of their genealogy from the beginning of their nation. Everyone was registered by name, tribe and family. These records were kept by the kings of Israel and Judah. They were even kept during their captivity in Babylon and are considered the highest authority for truth. In verse 2 it refers to the first exiles who returned. Most of their names are repeated in Nehemiah 11:1-36, although there are some differences which are explained there. The people were divided into four classes of people: the priests, Levites, Israelites, and the Nethinims who were captives who served Israel. A great number returned successively under Ezra, Nehemiah, and at a later period. *** Verse 18 refers to the king’s gate. The king had a gate from his palace into the temple (2Ki 16:18), which was kept constantly closed except for the king's use. Although there was no king in Israel on the return from the captivity, the old ceremonial was kept up, probably in the hope that the scepter would be restored to the house of David. But, since there was no king then in Israel, this gate would be always shut. *** Chapter 10 has no relation to what we just read in Chapter 9. It seems like this piece of history was inserted here to show David’s rise to the throne. We are retold the fatal battle between Israel and the Philistines in which Saul is wounded then kills himself to be kept from being taken prisoner and tortured by the Philistines. Saul’s other two sons Ish-bosheth and Miphibosheth were kept in Gibeah because they were too young to go to war. *** Saul and his other three sons, including Jonathan were killed. Saul’s armor was put in the Philistine temple of their gods and his head was fastened in the temple of Dagon. When the men of Jabesh-gildad heard what the Philistines did to Saul’s body, they went and took his body and the bodies of his sons and brought them and buried them in Jabesh and fasted for 7 days. *** Saul died because he spared the king of Amelek and took the flocks from the people as spoils (1 Samuel 15:9). Saul also was judged for not asking the Lord’s advice but went to the witch at Endor to get her to conjure up Samuel’s spirit. So, God turned the kingdom of Israel over to David. *** In Acts, Paul told the crew on the ship that they should have listened to him and not set sail from Crete. Then he encouraged them and told them that an angel of God had visited him and told him to tell the men to put their faith in Him. They would all live but they must run aground on some island. Fourteen days into the storm and they found they were nearing shore. Some of the sailors were planing to save themselves in life boats but Paul told them unless they stayed in the ship, they would not be saved. So they cut the lifeboats and stayed aboard. *** When the morning was dawning, Paul told the sailors to eat some food so they would have strength for what was next. Paul broke bread and gave thanks to the Lord. He passed it out to the sailors. There were 276 people on the ship. Then they threw out the wheat. *** When it became day, they noted land. The ship became stuck and they would have to swim to shore. The soldiers planned to kill all the prisoners, but the centurion wanted to keep Paul alive so he kept them from doing that. They all jumped overboard and swam to land using planks of the ship to keep them afloat. *** Lord, help us not to grow weary in well doing. Help us to endure till the end and fulfill our destiny.